


This is Halloween

by finstocksimaginaryfriend



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Gen, Halloween, other supernatural entities
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-01
Updated: 2013-11-01
Packaged: 2017-12-31 04:33:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1027274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/finstocksimaginaryfriend/pseuds/finstocksimaginaryfriend
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Knowing Stiles, everyone was prepared for the worst. For some elaborate joke of a costume that they all featured into but no one bar Stiles would actually find funny in the slightest. They tried to set up a betting pool, but all came to the conclusion that he’d probably go with a Little Red Riding Hood theme after Erica suggested it. So the betting pool fell through.</p>
<p>They really should have known not to question him</p>
            </blockquote>





	This is Halloween

It started a few months before it actually started. They really should have known not to question him.

* * *

 

It started when Derek wouldn’t stop calling their latest resident evil a mermaid. The most progress Stiles had made was getting him to briefly consider other generic monsters. See: Selkie, Kelpie, Siren, Nymph and sea-serpent. Stiles had threatened Wolfsbane when the word ‘loch’ left the older mans lips.

Selkies were friendly and Kelpies not quite as vicious as these attacks. No songs had been heard, ergo not a Siren. Nymphs rarely left Greece let alone travelled this far and sea-serpents didn’t even warrant an answer when they’re a fucking category anyway. Nessie did not exist and if she did Beacon Hills most certainly was not home to her loch.

Mermaids were actually a relatively adept guess except for the fact that after extensive research (because Derek would not drop his obsession with them) Stiles had

pretty much excluded them from the list. They preferred salt-water anyway.

_That’s_ when it started: when Stiles was mid-argument with Alpha and Pack (who all thought the only important thing was to kill the monster. Forgetting that they only ever mange, eight times out of ten, to kill and capture it successfully _after_ Stiles researches it. And to do that, Stiles needs a name. Which he was looking for before the argument erupted. And it wasn’t a motherfucking Mermaid Derek shut the fuck up). 

Finally he shouted: ‘I tell you what, let’s make a bet.’

Isaac, Peter and Cora had descended like a cheap metaphor the moment gambling hit the figurative table. 

‘Go on.’ Peter drawled, leaning in disturbingly close before Lydia snarled and he backed off. The man was smart enough not to push his luck with her - she had seven hashed-out deaths for him already fully planned.

‘We reconvene the end of today and bet on what this thing is. Only Peter, Lydia and I will remain here because you guys are distracting. Whoever wins gets to choose the group Halloween costumes.’

Derek snapped: ‘No’, just as Peter grinned: ‘Deal’.

Allison smiled and took Isaac and Scott with her back home to look through her father’s books and Stiles started mentally humming to block out the nagging voice telling him that reading would be the least of their activities. Erica linked arms with Boyd and headed out to Deaton’s as Cora went to find something more interesting to do while they worked it out. She argued she was more muscle and less pre-battle.

‘I just sent a text to Danny, Ethan and Aidan to get to the library.’ Lydia shrugged and picked up another book from the pile beside her. If she was onboard there really was no hope to oppose, so Stiles smirked and turned back to his laptop.

‘You’ve been outvoted Derek.’ He muttered as he waved a dismissive hand.

‘Shut up.’

‘Yeah, you’re the Alpha.’

* * *

 

That’s when it started. It began when Isaac, Scott and Allison came up with Kelpie, Selkie and Siren in that order. As if they’d completely ignored Stiles’ reasoning against those very creatures (they’d been eye-fucking, they probably had). Lydia guessed some kind of water spirit that Stiles decided to look up later because it sounded interesting. Peter some obscure giant fish from Japan that Stiles didn’t think he’d be looking up as it sounded creepier than Peter himself and even less likely than the threesomes answers. The others guessed unmemorable creatures, some of which Stiles suspected they made up on the spot, and Derek remained with mermaid.

Motherfucking mermaid.

Stiles had known from before the bet that they were probably dealing with a Taniwha. He’d feel like he was cheating if it hadn’t been the fact that he’d been trying to tell them for a long-arse time. The Maori river guardians just seemed likely, they were often said to be violent and seemed the fit the bill they were looking for. Even if it was pretty far from their homeland.

* * *

They really should have known not to question him.

* * *

 

It took two days to track it down and Stiles crooned as the others set about killing it. Or tried. Werewolves have a tendency to rely on brute force and brute force alone. In the end Lydia trapped it with some herbs from Deaton and Peter banished it with the use of google-translate, courtesy of his new iphone. Peter decidedly did not count as werewolf, no one wanted to associate themselves with him and, as he was undead, they’d decided to categorize him primarily as a not-to-be-trusted zombie. He remained Peter, unpinned and, to an extent, unlabelled (since zombies don’t actually exist and it was more of an insult that a description) and therefore unable to surprise.

Stiles just grinned.

Erica thought to ask what the creature was before it poofed into non-existence.

Stiles grinned more.

They _really_ should have known not to question him.

* * *

 

Knowing Stiles, everyone was prepared for the worst. For some elaborate joke of a costume that they all featured into but no one bar Stiles would actually find funny in the slightest. They tried to set up a betting pool, but all came to the conclusion that he’d probably go with a Little Red Riding Hood theme after Erica suggested it. So the betting pool fell through.

* * *

Three days before Halloween each had awoken to a bag of clothes on their doorsteps. They’d all been made to chip in ten dollars to the costume fund, a prior stated pre-requisite to the original bet, and then left Stiles to pick them out.

They met the night before to discuss what they’d been given. Little Red Riding Hood seemed all the more likely after they all pulled out clothes fitting of a small, old-time village.

Well, all except Lydia, who had far fancier clothes and just flashed her teeth when anyone thought to ask why hers was so much nicer. They didn’t ask again. Could understand why Stiles would go easier on her.

In short they looked ridiculous and Erica was majorly upset no one took her up on the betting pool.

Lydia just huffed that their outfits weren’t very French at all.

* * *

 

Due to a lack of excitement they all went to confront Stiles. None were looking forward to the embarrassment their outfits would bring and they’d managed to get Derek to agree to attempt to put a stop to it all.

Stiles, however, was having none of it. ‘I was right about the Taniwha; therefore I won the bet!’

‘I seriously don’t understand why you guys thought betting against him would be a good idea.’ Lydia muttered as she turned a page in the book she’d brought with her.

‘You guessed too.’ Erica grumbled, pulling a face behind the red-heads back.

‘Yes and I was far closer than the rest of you combined.’

‘And for that I was kindest to you, Lydia.’ Stiles grinned.

She smirked smugly and settled further into her seat with a self satisfied sigh of: ‘You wouldn’t dare anything else.’

‘We’re not doing it Stiles.’ Derek growled and an argument erupted with Peter of all people on one side and everyone else on the other.

Stiles suspected Peter just wanted to see them all uncomfortable. And get on Stiles’ good side. He was sure that Peter was smart enough to see that Lydia was a lost cause and the man had always been eerily interested in the two of them. Just settling for second best until he found a way to break Lydia. Or she killed him. Stiles’ money was honestly on the latter.

‘We’re not doing it. This was a stupid idea in the first place.’

‘It’ll be fun. And, besides, the boy’s earned it.’

‘No.’

‘You will do as I ask.’ Stiles simply stated from his space across the room.

‘No, we won’t.’

‘You’re practically an omega, Stiles, you can’t think you’ll win this.’ Jackson sneered; shutting up when Lydia sent him a glare.

‘He’s nothing so lowly as that.’ Peter laughed and a flash of some emotion akin to a kind of wary flashed through his eyes when they landed on Stiles quickly.

Stiles shut the door. Because they decided to confront him on his own turf. In _his_ territory. So they were gathered in his room. And Stiles had been running with and away from the supernatural for enough time now at this point to know to take some precautions. Not to mention Deaton taught him a little about sparks. So it wasn’t ever like his room would be left unguarded. Unprotected. In fact it’s been circled in mountain ash since two days after the incident at Jungle. Mountain ash he painted right into the skirting and around the window and across the door. A circuit of kinds. One he has to break to let people of a slightly more supernatural origin in. One he closed with the slam of the door.

They kept debating over the definitive click of the frame.

Lydia scowled at him in question.

Stiles smiled; at which Peter glared.

The voices fell short and Allison took up a defensive pose until Scott calmed her with a hand on her arm.

Stiles grinned a little more.

‘So I’ll see you all on Halloween in your costumes, yes?’

‘We were leaning towards no.’ Boyd deadpanned, his calm tone cutting through the rising tension.

‘Lydia, what do you say?’

‘You promised to go easy on me, so I suppose I’m game. What’s going on?’

‘We’re going to sit here until everyone finally agrees to play by the rules.’

‘We’ve dismissed your bet, Stiles; I’ll be going home now.’ Jackson sneered again.

‘…I don’t think you will.’ Peter scowled as he placed his hand against a wall, ‘I think that’s exactly Stiles’ point.’

‘I’m never going to compliment him I don’t know why he tries.’ Stiles mock whispered to Lydia, who replied:

‘I’ll grab Allison and convince her? Divide and conquer?’

‘Don’t forget I’m the strategist now you’ve taken the place of the brain of the group and have begun to infringe on my research rights.’

‘You know full well I’m superior to the lot of you in ever way.’ She flicked her hair and sauntered over to link arms with Allison. The comment could sound big-headed, but really it was warranted and, anyway, Stiles was pretty clued in to the fact that Lydia’s not always as confident in her own brilliance as she should be. Comes with years of hiding it so she could fight for a place on top, just to have it all dashed when Peter took up residence inside her head. The loss of faith hasn’t ever really shown and was never huge, but was always enough that Stiles doubted anyone would ever flaw Lydia for her ego.

Scott, having walked to the wall and pressed a hand against it, following Peter’s lead, turned back to ask: ‘Have you locked us in?’

‘Mountain ash in the skirting, yeah, figured it was the easiest way to make us talk.’

Long story short, using a varying stash of methods Stiles finally managed to get everyone to agree to dressing up. But Derek. Derek just grunted. Stiles took it as the closest to a win he’d be offered.

* * *

 

They gathered at the old Hale house, as Stiles had instructed. They’d all had to accept listening to him after realising that a) they couldn’t leave his room and b) he had Lydia on his side. At one point or another they’d all learnt the valuable lesson not to cross Lydia.

So they’d conceded, somewhat grumpily. Then gotten over it. They’d faced worse than a little embarrassment for Stilinski’s enjoyment. And perhaps it would end up being fun?

At heart they were an optimistic bunch so it didn’t take too long for them to get over the defeat and look to the bright side.

The wolves could sense Stiles a little ways off but let him be, guessing he wanted the final appearance. However then they felt Derek closing in, annoyance rolling off him in waves. Still, Stiles seemed fine and the two began to walk towards the group, snippets if their ongoing argument reaching first the wolves ears and then, when close enough, the humans too.

‘Stiles, what the hell is that?’ Derek’s voice could be heard clearly from the Hale estate. Everyone looked at each other and shrugged, willing to wait for the reveal over speculating, they’d been known to argue over differing opinions and miss the answers in the past.

‘It’s my Halloween costume.’

‘This is not a joke, Stiles! I am not a joke!’ Derek began to shout, his voice holding a semblance of a growl.

‘You are an Alpha, Derek, not a joke. What have you even got to do with anything?’

‘What have I-? Stiles this is rude and offensive.’

‘How?’

‘Because you’re making a joke of what I am!’

‘What are you?’

‘I’m an Alpha Werewolf Stiles, for fuck sake.’

‘So?’

‘So!?’

‘Yeah, so. What does that have to do with anything.’

‘You’re a Werewolf!’

‘There’s no Were.’

‘You’re a wolf then!’

‘No I’m not.’ Stiles laughed.

‘Yes you are!’

They were nearby now, having walked throughout the entirety of their argument and Derek stormed out of the trees first, exclaiming: ‘Stiles is a mother fucking werewolf!’

‘No he’s not.’ Lydia laughed.

‘Oh my god is Stiles ok?’ Scott asked, worried.

Stiles emerged then dressed as an awfully tacky wolf. The outfit mainly consisting of a hat with ears and mittens in the shape on paws hanging from the ear flaps and face paint. The rest of the effort had gone into finding grey clothes and a feather-boa for a tail.

‘You’re not Little Red Riding Hood?’ Erica asked, scowling.

‘I am not that obvious, of course I’m not Little Red Riding Hood. Where’s the ingenuity in that? Do you guys really think I’m that stereotypical?’

‘Then what are we?’

‘The boy who cried wolf.’

He laughed while the others groaned and Cora punched him.

**Author's Note:**

> a) yes it's a little late, whoops, I was away right up until the 30th so we're pretending that it's still Halloween  
> b) because of being away I wrote half of this and edited it all in one go, so apologies if it's bland (it feels bland) but i'm done with it it's entered the world now.  
> c) it is past tense and i do not write in past tense i do not know why i did that  
> d) pretty much i dislike this but the other halloweenish fic i had planned is no where near done so fuck it  
> e) oh and the title, couldnt be bothered with a title so we went generic.


End file.
